Millions of people in America have a pet in their home. Many people have a cat or a dog and some people have both. We are a nation of pet-loving families and have been for many years. However, there are many people who struggle to provide care to their beloved furry family members. This is when they need to know about places that offer financial assistance for pet care.
It is estimated that it costs around $1400 per year to have a dog and around $1200 per year to have a cat. Consider the fact that most people have more than one pet. Over one third of those who have a pet have more than one, which means that caring for their pets can cost thousands per year. With the rising cost of veterinary care and pet food, this can lead to challenging situation for many families.
Finding Financial Assistance for Pet Care
Families have one or more pets who are struggling to care for them are often faced with a decision to make. They usually feel they have to either get rid of the animals, or re-home them with someone else, or they will need to find financial assistance for the pet care.
Most people do not want to get rid of their pets at all, even if they do feel they cannot afford to provide them. They consider their pets to be part of their family and the last thing they want to do is get rid of a family member because of finances. They are looking for alternative solutions so they can still provide care for their pets and will not be held back by their financial situation.
Here are some ways to get financial assistance to help take care of your pets:
Salvation Army – This organization has many locations around the country. They provide many programs to help people in the community. They are a great resource for obtaining free food and other resources. Contact the locations in your area to see if they can provide you with help obtaining free pet food. Many may have it readily available for the public. To find a location near you, click here.
Catholic Charities – This is another faith-based organization that will provide people in need with assistance. They offer free meals and other helpful items for those with a low income. They have access to numerous programs that can provide assistance for those who are struggling financially. Contact the locations that are in your area to see if they can provide help with financial assistance for pet care. To find a location in your area, click here.Â
St. Vincent de Paul – Similar to the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities, this is another organization with many locations around the country. They have a mission of helping people in need in the community. You can contact them to see if you are able to get help with pet care expenses. They should be able to help you or provide a referral to a place that can assist you in your area. To find a location in your area and contact them, click here.
Food Pantries – There are many food pantries around the country that provide people with food. While most people are familiar with being able to get food for human consumption from them, they may not realize that many of them have pet food as well. Contact the food pantries in your area to see if they can help you obtain some pet food. Most of them do have pet food that they can supply you with.
Veterinarians – Reach out to the veterinarian offices in your local area. They may be able to give you free pet food samples and help with free or reduced cost veterinary care for your pet. They need to know that help is needed by people in the community and they may respond with providing the services being requested.
Local Organizations – Check with local groups in your area to see if they can help. Places you should consider are veterans groups, non-profit organizations, women’s groups, and more. They often help people in the communities where they are located. Plus, they should have a list of referrals they can provide to help guide you to the assistance you are looking for.
211 – The United Way has created this phone number so that people can use it to call for assistance. It is a free referral service that you can call to inquire about getting help caring for your pets. Let them know where you live and what type of help you need and they will use their dataset to find you local resources to turn to. It is service that is free to use and open to anyone in the country. To get more information about it, click here.
Humane Societies – There are humane society offices around the country. Many people give up their pets to these places, because they cannot afford to take care of them. However, many of the pets that get handed in at these shelters end up euthanized, because they don’t have enough room for them all and not enough people adopt them. Some of these places have programs to help you keep your pet and they provide what you need to help care for them. Contact the humane societies in your area to see if they can help or provide you with local referrals to programs that will assist you with caring for your pets.
Churches – With many churches located around the country, they are a good option for where to turn to if you need help taking care of your pets. They have a mission of helping the people in their community who need assistance. Reach out to churches in your area to let them know you are struggling to take care of your pet and ask if they can help. They should be able to help you out or provide you with a referral to a place that can help.
